One of the first things a person who didn’t finish high school hears is “Well, you can always get your GED.”
It’s the go to response.
The funny thing is, a lot of people have no idea what a GED is or how it works. Since we offer GED preparation here at Excel, we thought we would clarify exactly what a GED is.
What Does GED Stand For?
GED technically has a few different meanings depending on who you talk to. Two of the most common definitions are General Educational Development and Graduate Equivalency Degree.
What is a GED and How Do I Get One?
The GED is technically a test (more specifically a series of tests) designed to show that a person has high-school level academic skills. By passing the GED Test, a person is awarded with a Certificate of High School Equivalency. Many people simply refer to this certificate as a GED.
This is not actually a high school diploma but carries about the same authority as one.
The GED is a series of five tests, each one representing a different school subject.
The tests are:
- Language Arts: Writing
- Social Studies
- Science
- Language Arts: Reading
- Mathematics
The point is to show that you know all of the information a high school graduate is expected to know. The tests are standardized.
Each test is graded on a scale from 200-800. Typically, a person must get at least 410 to pass an individual test but must average 450 between all five tests. If a person fails one of the tests but passes the others, they only need to retake the parts they failed.
The required passing score could be hire depending on your district. Also, the US military has higher requirements for GED Test scores, as do many colleges and Universities.
GED Tests Must Be Taken in Person
A common scam on the internet currently is “online GED tests“. There is no such thing. You cannot earn a GED online. A GED test must be taken at a designated location. If you need help finding a GED testing center in your area, contact us, and we can help you out.
Also, it is very common (and highly recommended) that people take GED prep courses so that they can study and prepare for the test. Unlike the actual GED Test, these prep courses are offered online.
In fact, we offer a free GED practice test right on our website. Check it out and see how ready you are to get your GED or maybe even your high school diploma.
